Fiddle and Fire

Fiddle and Fire HEARTS OF GOLD BOOK TWO ARIELLA TALIX Copyright © 2023 Ariella Talix, all rights reserved Ringmaster Publishing ISBN: 979-8-9856766-7-9 Cover Design by Dar Albert, Wicked Smart Designs This is a work of fiction. Except for the known and documented historic incidents and people involved around the time of the California Gold Rush, the events and characters described herein are imaginary and are not intended to refer to any persons, living or dead. Any resemblance to actual persons is entirely coincidental. The opinions expressed in this book are solely the opinions of the author. When real people and actual occurrences are mentioned, great care was taken by the author to relate them in a factual manner. Historic retellings may seem contradictory, depending on who wrote the tale, so it is hard sometimes to distinguish truth from legend. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written permission from the publisher and the owner of the copyright. Contents Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Epilogue Musings and Acknowledgements Books by Ariella Talix Western classical players sometimes use “fiddle” as an affectionate term for the violin, that intimate companion and workmate. —Gordon Swift, Is That a Violin or a Fiddle? Music is often the spark that lights the fire of the soul. —Jeffrey Fry One “Fire!” The dreaded word echoed through the streets of San Francisco that foggy morning. It was pandemonium as people ran both toward and away from the blaze, and bells clanged in the closest fire companies. Isaac, Walter, and the other volunteer firemen dropped everything and grabbed the hand-drawn firetruck. As quickly as possible, they dragged the heavily loaded cart full of water and equipment up and down the steep city streets. Other men grabbed a ladder loaded with water-filled buckets hanging from it by hooks. It took four men to carry it the way pallbearers hoist and move a coffin. The Aylesbury Fire Company’s two Dalmatians, Ember and Cinder, ran ahead of the firemen. The dogs barked a warning, letting people know that firefighters were on the way and the street needed to be cleared. Firefighters also shouted at pedestrians to move and hoped fervently they could make it in time to douse the flames before another major fire destroyed the city. That kind of catastrophic destruction happened all too frequently in San Francisco. * * * “Thank heaven, this one wasn’t too big,” Walter sighed as they trudged back up the hill to their department. “Yes. No injuries either!” Isaac agreed. “Not like the one that broke out last May when so many people were hurt, and it burned down that whole block. A terrible thing.” He shook his head sadly, remembering the event. As they neared the front of their building, he grasped Walter’s arm to halt him for a moment. “I never get tired of looking at this, Walter. You outdid yourself with the design. We’re the envy of all the firemen in the city with this place.” Walter had worked back in Philadelphia as an architect, but the stifling job left him unfulfilled and ready to move on to something better out west. He’d quit his job after refusing to cut corners and design shoddy buildings—something that had been a problem for his employer… who was also his father. So Walter severed ties with the man who’d tried to control his every move. His father was strict and humorless, never showing any pride in his son’s work or affection for him. His mother had been better, but she’d long since passed away. At least, Walter reasoned, they’d seen to his education, and Walter genuinely loved architecture. Restless and young, he had saved enough money to take off on an adventure to find something that would inspire him. A small inheritance from his grandfather also helped. Walter smiled graciously. “Yes, well, I’m sure the competition between the fire companies will continue even if our building is superior. There are so many egos involved, and with most of the city acting as if we’re almost celebrities… Except you, of course. You’re an actual celebrity, I suppose.” Isaac snorted. “Just because of my fiddling? Hardly. When we play, they’re probably all coming to gawk at Adeline.” Isaac performed with Adeline Hart Dawson-Langley, a beautiful and exceptionally talented pianist. When she’d arrived in San Francisco, the ratio of men to women was roughly ten to one, and although the odds were gradually evening out, women were still very much in the minority. The firefighters stowed their gear carefully as Walter argued, “You’re selling yourself short. I see how the ladies look at you when you play. And some of the men too.” Isaac shrugged. He’d played the violin since he was a small boy. His parents had encouraged it, deciding he needed an activity that would help him use up some of his excess energy. Luckily for everyone, music fascinated him. Now that he was grown, there was nothing small about Isaac. He was a giant of a man at over six feet tall with muscles honed from years of heavy, backbreaking work. He and his partners had mined for gold before and during the San Francisco Gold Rush, made a substantial fortune for themselves, and then built The Discovery—a successful hotel and casino. Eventually, they formed a building company Walter and Isaac ran with Jasper and Royal—who, with their wife Adeline, were their best friends in the world. Isaac and Adeline also gave music lessons and recitals together at the